As a therapist I have been to many different conferences on sexual trauma. The thing that was missing is the information that can help survivors move beyond what has happened to them. So with the Life Beyond conference, I wanted to provide the support, motivation, hope and healing elements that provide opportunity for real practical life change.

What types of attendees would you like to see participate?

Anyone, male or female, experiencing difficulties in their life in relationships, self esteem with anxiety, depression, addictions, or eating problems that know they have sexual trauma or dissociation. But also anyone who suspects there may be some sexually traumatic experiences they don’t yet recall. Additionally, anyone in relationship with a survivor can benefit greatly from the information at the conference.

I want survivors to no longer feel trapped by what has happened to them, but to see that there are clear paths out of what they have experienced, and, that they are not alone.

To do this, we need to give survivors, their spouses and their families the tools they can use when they leave the conference that will make their life better from that moment on.

As a person who has experienced sexual trauma in my childhood, it would be nice to know that there are ways to get beyond the flinching when someone touches you (even if they mean no harm). Our minds become programmed that something bad is going to happen if we get into an elevator with a man or are alone in any way with someone...there has to be some way BEYOND that. Some way to realize that the triggers in our minds are not reality. I think this conference will let myself and others know that there can be peace in touching, peace in being with another person and we don't have to fear those things that have plagued us in the past. I for one am looking for a way beyond the life I lead now, the life I have in fear of others. I think this conference might just be the key. I hope to see many people there of all types, united in the possible ways that we can get beyond the ties that bind us from doing the things we like because we are held back by our fears. Therapists need to know how to treat those of us with abuse in our past, and we need to know how to get beyond that abuse. Hopefully this will be a time of people coming together with a common cause and working towards making a better life for ourselves.

There is enough pain and fear to create all of the problems in the world. We believe that a little less fear would make room for some joy and safety to go with those problems.

The indelible footprint of pain drives our fear and desperate fear reaches for anger to shield it from whatever threatens to inflict more pain. Its a vicious and inhumane (but so human) cycle. We want to stop it where we can and minimize its impact where we can't.

Sometimes our pain sounds like a small thing, but it still feels like too much and others have more than Stephen King could imagine. How bad something feels seems to have more to do with who we have to lean on than anything else. The point is we all have it and it cheats us from the joy and pleasure that should be ours.

All of us, in our many roles as friend, partner, parent, and even rival, could use a better understanding of the long term impact of traumatic events. That's a good first step. Life Beyond Seminars also provide you usable tools and concepts to help you discover the life you were meant to live.